Chapter 33

Elihu Claims to Speak for God

1 “However now, Job, please ahear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

2 “Behold now, I open my mouth,

My tongue in my 1mouth speaks.

3 “My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak aknowledge sincerely.

4 “The aSpirit of God has made me,

And the bbreath of 1the Almighty gives me life.

5 “aRefute me if you can;

Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6 “Behold, I belong to God like you;

I too have been 1formed out of the aclay.

7 “Behold, ano fear of me should terrify you,

Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

And I have heard the sound of your words:

9 ‘I am apure, bwithout transgression;

I am innocent and there cis no guilt in me.

10 ‘Behold, He 1invents pretexts against me;

He acounts me as His enemy.

11 ‘He aputs my feet in the stocks;

He watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, let me 1tell you, ayou are not right in this,

For God is greater than man.

13 “Why do you acomplain against Him

That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14 “Indeed aGod speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15 “In a adream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

16 Then aHe opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,

And 1keep man from pride;

18 He akeeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from 1passing over binto Sheol.

19 “1Man is also chastened with apain on his bed,

And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20 So that his life aloathes bread,

And his soul favorite food.

21 “His aflesh wastes away from sight,

And his bbones which were not seen stick out.

22 “Then ahis soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an angel as amediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To remind a man what is 1right for him,

24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from agoing down to the pit,

I have found a bransom’;

25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

26 Then he will apray to God, and He will accept him,

That bhe may see His face with joy,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27 “He will sing to men and say,

‘I ahave sinned and perverted what is right,

And it is not bproper for me.

28 ‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,

And my life shall asee the light.’

29 “Behold, God does aall these 1oftentimes with men,

30 To abring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 “Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and let me speak.

32 “Then if 1you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33 “If not, alisten to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”